In this blog, I wanted to share a recipe for some Easy Grilled Pesto Chicken I recently made. I don’t know about you, but I really like the taste of basil. It has a distinct flavor and smell that many people enjoy. This year, I decided to plant some basil in my garden and it’s absolutely flourishing. I knew I needed to harvest it, so I started looking around for some recipes to try and came across this one. I changed it up a bit, as the original called for baked chicken. I also added a few ingredients and am happy to say, it turned out great. It is easy to make and includes some healthy ingredients and you can’t beat the garden fresh basil. Give it a try if you are looking for something different for a summer meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh basil, packed (You can most likely find this at a farmers market.)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup baby spinach, packed
  • 1/4 cup walnuts
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Onion powder to taste
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or feta cheese

Instructions

Place the basil and spinach in a food processor or blender. Next, toast the garlic and walnuts in a medium-sized pan over medium heat, until the outsides of the garlic are lightly, browned, approximately 8 minutes. When ready, remove from heat and add them to the food processor, along with the basil and spinach. Next, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and process the pesto by pulsing 5 times or so, to break down the greens and other ingredients. Then turn the food processor on low speed and slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil. Blend until the pesto turns to a smooth mix. Add the Parmesan cheese and then process for another 5 seconds or low.

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Scrap the mixture in a small glass bowl and set aside.

Drizzle both sides of the chicken breast with olive oil and season with the salt, pepper and onion powder. Place the chicken on a hot grill and flip as each side gets seared and browned. Remove from heat, when meat is no longer pink.

Transfer the chicken breasts to a serving platter. Brush some of the pesto sauce on each chicken breast. Top the chicken with chopped walnuts, tomatoes, and cheese. Serve with the extra pesto sauce on the side, along with some fresh asparagus, or garden fresh salad.

Enjoy!

Barb

P. S. If you are interested in reading more about healthful eating and living a healthy lifestyle, you might want to check out my book, Wholey Cow A Simple Guide To Eating And Living. Click here to learn more or purchase.